AUST, Others Participate in 2025 Annual Triple-Helix Nigeria Conference

The African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, joined key stakeholders from the academia, government, and industry at the 2nd Annual Conference of Triple Helix Nigeria (SciBiz Conference 2025), held from October 15 to 17, 2025, at the PTDF Conference Centre, Abuja.

The three-day event provided a robust platform for dialogue on strengthening collaboration across sectors to drive sustainable innovation and economic growth in Nigeria.

The conference opened with a welcome remarks by the Chair, Prof. Eucharia O. Nwaichi, and the President of Triple Helix Nigeria, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, followed by goodwill messages from distinguished guests across the triple helix sectors.

In his goodwill message, Prof. Azikiwe  Azikiwe  Onwualu, President of AUST,  stressed on the urgent need for the establishment of a National Research Fund (NRF) to address the challenges facing Nigeria’s research and innovation ecosystem.

He expressed optimism that the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria would soon operationalize the fund to support innovation-driven development across the country.

The keynote address, delivered by Dr. Rose Oronje, Director of Public Policy and Knowledge Translation at AFIDEP (Kenya), focused on “Centering People in Collaborative Ecosystems: Unlocking Knowledge and Innovation for Africa’s Sustainable Growth.” She underscored the need for stronger government commitment to research funding and the inclusion of young learners in innovation activities from an early age.

AUST was prominently represented by Dr. Prisca Onuoha-Iroakazi, Coordinator of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Unit, who presented a paper titled “Industry, Academia, and Government (Triple Helix) Collaboration: Bridging the Research-to-Market Gap in Nigeria.”

Dr. Onuoha-Iroakazi highlighted AUST’s innovation initiatives, including AUSTInspire and the CPD Unit, as effective models of academia-industry-government synergy.

She also advocated for the early integration of research and innovation education into school curricula and increased government investment in research commercialization.

The conference featured plenary and parallel sessions, strategy dialogues, and workshops on topics such as University–Industry–Government Collaboration, Innovation Pathways for Economic Growth, and Intellectual Property Processes. A notable strategy session led by Engr. ThankGod Egbe (CEO, CypherCrescent) on “University Venture Studios: Catalysts for Actualising the Triple Helix Vision 10-10-10” encouraged closer collaboration between universities and industry. Following the session, CypherCrescent representatives expressed interest in potential partnerships with AUST.

The final day included a Policy Innovation Roundtable on “Building Africa’s Knowledge Economy: Financing Innovation, Developing Talent, and Driving Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration.” The event concluded with award presentations and a vote of thanks by the President of Triple Helix Nigeria.

Reflecting on the experience, Dr. Onuoha-Iroakazi described the conference as highly impactful, noting that it deepened her understanding of collaboration mechanisms within the Triple Helix framework. She expressed appreciation to Prof. Onwualu for his mentorship and unwavering commitment to advancing research, technology, and innovation in Nigeria.

The SciBiz Conference 2025 reaffirmed the growing importance of collaboration among academia, industry, and government as the foundation for sustainable innovation and national development.